Cheesy Potato Casserole
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall cheesy potatoes is a favorite for them all. My family loves Cheesy Potato Casserole. It goes with ham at Easter. It goes along side chicken or pork cooked out on the grill. I really think Cheesy Potato Casserole can be a side at almost any meal without complaints. It also makes a great party food because it is pretty simple to make, can be prepared ahead of time, and can feed a crowd. The one thing I have never liked about this dish is the two cans of condensed soup it required. No one needs all those additives in their delicious creamy casserole. So I set out to create my own version without a single can of soup.
Step one involved creating a creamy base for our casserole. I accomplished this by blending together cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. I also added a little granulated garlic for flavor. All these ingredients need to be blended together to a smooth and creamy consistency. For this task I used my Immersion Blender
Now that we have a creamy base for our casserole, mix in 2 cups of shredded cheese and the frozen hash browns. Pick any cheese you like. We are Colby jack fans, but I have also been known to use Sharp Cheddar. Whatever you like is fine. Know your audience! I like to mix the cheese in first, but you can throw the cheese and hash browns in at the same time and then mix. It is totally up to you.
Next spread your mixture into a prepared 9×12 pan. By prepared, I mean greased in some manner. This particular time I used a foil pan and cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30-45 minutes.
Your Cheesy Potato Casserole is ready when it is hot and bubbly. It may even have some browning around the edges.
The first time I made this version of Cheesy Potato Casserole, I did not tell my guests that I changed the recipe. And guess what? Not one person noticed a difference. No one suggested I did something new or changed the recipe in any way. Good bye condensed soup, you will not be missed. Add Cheesy Potato Casserole to your next party or potluck, I am sure it will be a hit of delicious proportions. Happy Cooking!
Cheesy Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tsp granulated garlic
- 3 cups shredded cheese colby jack, chedder, etc
- 1 bag frozen shredded hash browns usually 30-32 oz, any brand
Instructions
- Add cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and garlic to a mixing bowl.
- Blend ingredients together until smooth. An immersion blender or hand mixer works well for this step.
- Add frozen hash browns and 2 cups of shredded cheese to the bowl and mix to combine all ingredients.
- Spread mixture into prepared 9X12 foil pan or baking dish.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese onto top of casserole.
- Cover pan with foil.
- Bake at 375°F for 30-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
